The secret to aging longevity may lie in your stomach

Anyone in Houston who has struggled with some digestive irregularities knows that when their gut isn't happy, everything gets thrown out of whack. This part of the body breaks down food to help you get the nutrients you need, and a blockage here or there can really get you down, leading to sluggishness, abdominal pain and other complications. Men and women tend to struggle even more with digestive issues as they get older, which is why mature celebrities like Jamie Lee Curtis are so eager to tout the benefits of Activia and other products geared toward a healthy gut. Now, researchers from Oregon State University have revealed yet another way that a happy tummy may help you age gracefully.

According to ScienceDaily, scientists have discovered that microbes in the digestive tract actually have a very close relationship with the immune system, and it is the back-and-forth communication between the two that really helps our bodies cope with a seemingly endless onslaught of viruses, bacteria and other threats to aging longevity.

In a healthy person, these microbes in the gut stimulate the immune system as needed, and it in turn talks back," explains lead author Dr. Natalia Shulzhenko. "There's an increasing disruption of these microbes from modern lifestyle, diet, overuse of antibiotics and other issues," she notes, adding that this is causing a communication breakdown that could contribute to chronic inflammation and other serious concerns.

This is an exciting discovery for medical professionals and anyone in Houston who can't quite place why they are more prone to sickness and sluggishness than they used to be. Further research is necessary to understand this connection, but for now, why not contact the anti-aging doctors at Longevity Centres of America to talk about your gut?